Staying focused through an injury during the athletic recruiting process

by Recruiting-101

As an athlete many many years ago, there is nothing that was more frustrating than an injury that would limit your ability to play the sport that you love. It is one of the most difficult times to go through because you feel isolated and on an island because you are not on the court or the field with your teammates. The hours and hours you put in over the off-season may feel like they have gone to waste when you start your season and get injured right off the bat.

The unfortunate thing is that in all sports, whether it be football, baseball, basketball, or anything else for that matter, injuries happen. While you can try hard to prevent them, things happen and you can’t prevent everything. But if you are unlucky enough to have been injured, there are some things you can do to stay focused on the athletic recruiting process even if you are sidelined.

Make sure to attend practices and any team meetings
Some athletes get disconnected because they are not part of the team bonding. While you may be unable to play, being at all practices and bring around things will make you feel much better.

Don’t let your academics slip
A lot of injured athletes get depressed and don’t care about school anymore. The last thing you want to do is dig yourself out of a hole when healthy.

Spend more time researching the schools you are looking at
This is a big one for the recruiting process. If you are not all consumed by the season because of this injury, figure out more about the schools that are recruiting you.

Work on putting a highlight tape together of what film you have
If your senior season was cut short because of an injury, look into getting that video put into a highlight tape. The more highlight videos that you have, the more marketable you are.

Look more into what interests you as far as academics go
If you have more time on your hands, look more into what interests you. Is it Science, Business, or something else? Think about what you want to do for the next forty plus years of your life.

Market yourself to schools that fit what you are looking for
Once you really know what you are looking for academically, start taking another serious look at schools that have the programs you want.

Listen to your doctors
The doctor is the one that will help get you healthy. Listen to him or her and let them be the boss here.

Don’t rush getting back
Some athletes rush back and further hurt themselves. Keep that in mind before throwing yourself into the mix before you are ready.

Be realistic
If you have no Division I offers and have no senior tape, it may be time to start being realistic about the recruiting process. This may be your time to look at Division I-AA and Division II schools in the football recruiting process. It may not be easy but you need to be realistic, especially if you get injured. No matter how good you think you are playing, no tape won’t help matters.